Fruit-picker



(No Model.) I

E. S. HARPST. FRUIT PIUKER. No. 405,410. Patented June 18, 1889.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR S. HARPST, OF TYLER, TEXAS.

FRUIT-PICKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,410, dated June 18, 1889.

Application filed February '7, 1889- Se'rial No. 299,002. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

lBe it known that I, EDGAR S. HARPST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tyler,

in the county of Smith and State of Texas,

have invented certain new and useful Improvemen ts in Fruit-Pickers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and 1 exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which 1t appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to fruit-pickers; and

length to suit trees of different heights.

A further object is to provide a picker with a fruit-receptacle, which is constructed of wire gauze or netting to adapt the same to be introduced readily between branches that are close together; and a further object is to provide a picker which is simple in construction and can be cheaply made and not liable to get out of order.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved picker; Fig. 2, a front elevation partly in section; Fig. 3, a rear view of the fruit-receptacle, partly in section; Fig. 4, a vertical section on the line as a Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view, partly in section,showing a modification in the construction of the handle and operating-rod.

In the above-described figures of drawings, Aindicates the rod or handle, which, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, consists of a number of sections a, joined together in any suitable manneras, for instance, by means of screwthread ed ferrules awl1ereby said rod or handle may be increased or decreased in length to adapt the same to be used in trees of different heights.

B indicates a fruit-receptacle, which is constructed and arranged as follows: Fitted upon the upper end of the upper section a of the handle and secured thereto in any suitable manneris a cup-shaped piece I). Ihave shown a hole and screw therefor, to the upper edge of which is secured wire gauze or netting to form a cylindrical receptacle for the fruit. This receptacle may be made of any suitable height and carries at its upper edge a stationary cutting-jaw C, secured by rivets, as shown, to the upper edge of the wire-gauze just described. Said fixed jaw O is made, preferably, of the shape shown in the drawingsthat is to say, it has the shape of a sector of a sphere, the annular edge 0 of which is adapted to be secured to the like edge of the wire-gau ze. It has a cutting-edge o, with which is adapted to coact the cutting-edge of another cutting-jaw, presently described.-

Said fixed jaw C is also provided with two perforated lugs 0 through which passes apin 0 upon which is pivoted a cutting-j aw D, the ends of said pin having bearings in arms (1, made integral with said j awD. The latter is made cup-shaped in form and is provided with a sharp annular cutting-edge d, which is adapted to meet the cutting edge c of jaw C when operated in the manner hereinafter described.

In order that the jaw D may automatically open when the fruit has been severedthat is to say, will be in such position that the fruit may be readily inserted-I provide a coiled spring E, one end of which is secured to one of the lugs c and its other end projecting through a suitable opening, as e, in the pivoted jaw D, and bearing upon the inner face of said jaw. It will be seen that by this arrangement when the jaw D is closed in the act of severing the fruit the coiled spring will be wound, and when the pressure has been released from the operating-handle said spring will cause the jaw D to automatically open to be in position for another fruit.

For operating the jaw D, I provide the following means. F indicates a sleeve fitted over the handle A and provided with perforated ears or lugs f G indicates the operating-rod, consisting of a number of sections g, united together in a manner similar to the sections a of handle Aas, for instance, by means of the screw-threaded ferrules g. The upper section of the rod is bifurcated, as shown in Fig. 2, the upper ends of the arms g being pivoted to the arms cl of the jaw D.

The lower end of the lower section of the rod G is pivoted between the ears f of the sleeve F.

By making the rod G in sections, as described, enables the same to be adjusted in length when the length of the handle A is adjusted, and by means of the sleeve F and rod G the jaw D can be operated in a very convenient manner.-

Inasmuch as the receptacle B is constructed of wire gauze or netting, the same would have a tendency to bulge when the fruit accumulates therein, and in order to prevent this and strengthen the receptacle I employ bracerods H, attached at their upper ends to the fixed jaw and at their lower ends to the piece I).

It will be seen that by constructing the fruit-receptacle of wire gauze or netting and arranging the same at the upper end of and in line with the handle the same can be more readily inserted between branches which are close together than would be the case were the same made of a fabric and suspended in the usual manner. Furthermore, it can be made very cheaply and very light and strong.

Instead of constructing the handle A and rod Gin the mannerhereinbefore described that is to say, of sections united at their meeting ends by means ofscrew-threaded ferrules or the 1ikethe same may be constructed as shown in Fig. 5, wherein I have shown the handle A and rod G as consisting each of two sections, one of which is made tubular, in which is adapted to slide the other section, the two being secured in the adjusted position by means of set-screws a whereby said handle and rod can be varied in length.

Various other changes may be made in the construction of my device without departing from the principles involved.

Instead of employing a coiled spring to effect the automatic opening of the pivoted jaw a leaf-spring secured at one end to one of the lugs c and its other end projecting through the opening in the jaw D, might be employed.

The operation of my device may be briefly described as follows: The device having been adjusted to the proper length and placed over the fruit, the sleeve F is slid along down the handle A, and by means of the rod G the jaw D is caused to close over the fruit, and by meeting the cutting-edge of the jaw O severs the fruit, which drops within the receptacle 13. Upon releasing the pressure on the sleeve F the jaw D is caused to open by means of the coiled spring.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fruit-picker, the combination, with a supporting-rod, of the receptacle supported upon the upper end of said rod, said receptacle being constructed of wire-gauze, and provided at its lower end with the cup-shaped 6;: piece 19, forming the bottom to said receptacle, and at its upper end with the fixed cuttingjaw C, asecond cutting-jaw D, pivoted to said receptacle and adapted to co-operate with said fixed jaw, said pivoted jaw being provided with arms d. and the operating-rod bifurcated at its upper end, the arms whereof are pivoted to said arms d, substantially as described.

2. In a fruit-picker, the combination, with the supporting-rod A, made in sections and united byscrew-threaded ferrules, of thereceptacle B, supported upon the upper end of said rod and in line therewith, said receptacle being constructed of wire-gauze and provided at its lower end with the cup-shaped piece I), forming the bottom to said receptacle, and at its upper end with the fixed cutting-jaw C, a second cutting-jaw D, pivoted to said receptacle and adapted to co-operate with said fixed jaw, said pivoted jaw being provided with the arms (1, and operating-rod G, made in sections and united by screw-threaded ferrules, said rod being bifurcated at its upper end, the arms whereof are pivoted to said arms d, and pivoted at its lower end to the sleeve or handle F, adapted to slide upon said rod A, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- EDGAR S. HARPST. Witnesses:

JEFF. D. BURNs, W. R. HARRINGTON. 

